• Caroline Cayeux, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Alexis Koher… The two ministers and the secretary general of the Elysée are overtaken by business.

  • Access to the highest spheres of the state "can plunge political personnel into a kind of excess", notes Alexandre Eyriès, teacher-researcher in political communication at the University of Lorraine.

    And politicians lack knowledge of the rules of probity.

  • Set up after the Cahuzacn affair, the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP) lacks the lack of legal and financial “means” to constrain the political class and continue its long-term controls.

Following political life in recent days is like slipping into the shoes of Bill Murray.

In 1993's Groundhog Day, the American actor seemed doomed to relive the same day forever.

In 2022, the scenario repeats itself, only the casting evolves.

The Minister Delegate for Communities Caroline Cayeux suspected of "tax evasion", the secretary general of the Elysée Alexis Kohler indicted for "illegal taking of interest, Agnès Pannier-Runacher also implicated... One case chases the other to the heart of the executive, triggering a strong feeling of “déjà-vu” in public opinion, and a tenacious impression: that which politicians, on all sides, do not seem to learn from previous scandals.

“Getting an unexpected promotion, achieving an objective by entering government, can plunge politicians into a kind of excess.

Morality becomes more elastic, the idea that one can benefit from certain generosity is formed.

We serve the State and we also serve ourselves”, analyzes Alexandre Eyriès, teacher-researcher in political communication at the University of Lorraine.

A cruel lack of training for elected officials in this area

A trend that is growing, with a confusing mix of genres among the elites, who do not hesitate to relocate to the private sector by taking advantage of the experience acquired in the public sector.

A situation favorable to “the illegal taking of interest” due to a loss of meaning of “public affairs”.

A lack of interest in the general interest, and basic shortcomings of the political class on this type of subject.

“We see that elected officials have a growing knowledge of the rules of probity, but also proportional to their concern vis-à-vis them.

Politicians have very little training on these subjects.

We are pleading for mandatory annual training, because the law is changing so much in this area, ”says Béatrice Guillemont, doctor of law and general manager of Anticor, which deals with around 160 legal cases with her association and receives reports every day.

The HATVP lacks resources… and time

Each era has its different scandals: the problems linked to the financing of political parties in the 1980s, then the accumulation of mandates, the fight against tax evasion.

And today, pantouflage, that is to say the fact for a senior civil servant to go to work in a private company, then to return to serve the State in high public positions (retro-pantouflage).

"We must question the political will of those responsible for wanting to establish a lasting anti-corruption policy", explains Béatrice Guillemont.

In other words, should we trust the legislator, that is to say the politicians, to limit themselves and strengthen the safeguards?

In place for almost ten years, the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP), created after the Cahuzac affair, lacks the legal and financial "means" to constrain the political class and continue its long-term controls.


Example: it normally takes three years to control an illegal taking of interests.

But the authority does not have enough staff to follow the whole procedure.

"We must give this authority the power to pronounce administrative sanctions and bring it, like the Defender of Rights, into the Constitution", concludes Béatrice Guillemont, whose association is at the origin of the appointment of judges of instruction in the Kohler file.

A track to prevent future drifts.

Policy

Justice seized by the HATVP for "misleading evaluation" and "tax evasion" against Caroline Cayeux

Justice

MSC case: Alexis Kohler indicted for illegal taking of interests

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Corruption

  • Agnes Pannier-Runacher

  • Scandal